‘They’re planning my suspension’ — Natasha Akpoti accuses senate leadership of marginalisation

‘They’re planning my suspension’ — Natasha Akpoti accuses senate leadership of marginalisation

 Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused the senate leadership of
attempting to silence her.

 

Speaking in an interview on Human Rights Radio on Friday,
the Kogi central lawmaker claimed she has been subjected to intimidation since
joining the senate, warning that plans are underway to suspend her.

 

“I know that right now, they are planning my suspension. If
I am suspended, fine, it will not stop me from doing my work wherever I can,”
she said.

 

Her comments follow a confrontation with Senate President
Godswill Akpabio over a reassignment of her seat on Thursday.

 

Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed the change in seating arrangement
was a deliberate attempt to diminish her visibility and reduce her chances of
contributing to debates.

 

“Changing my seat was just a chance of silencing or
alienating me from being seen. Sitting position is important. The nearer you
sit positions you near the camera and gives you an added advantage to be called
upon to contribute to debates,” she said.

 

“Ordinarily I’m already sitting at the very back. But then,
I was now moved suddenly without any notice, without any information, my seat
was moved to the far corner, a part where the cameras don’t capture.”

 

 

The senator further alleged that she has been excluded from
key international events and denied official travel privileges.

 

She also claimed she was recently removed from a senate
committee because some colleagues believed she was “diverting resources from
the Niger Delta to the north”.

 

“I’m facing a lot of harassment. I have been going through a
lot and I have remained quiet because I didn’t want to be interpreted wrongly,”
she said.

 

“I don’t want any lawsuits against me; I just want to be
given a chance to work. A lot of my privileges have been denied. I have been
pulled out of many international activities that I was part of.

 

“There was a United Nations event I was supposed to attend
which I was nominated for but my name was struck out. They will not promote me
in any activity internationally.

 

“So every event I have been going to since last year has
been self-sponsored. Whenever I feel an international event that is of
importance to my constituents, to Nigerian women and to Nigeria, I buy my
tickets myself and fund my trips myself. I just don’t speak about it.”

Source: ‘They’re planning my suspension’ — Natasha Akpoti accuses senate leadership of marginalisation

 - NigerianEye

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